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OLYMPICS
Aug 31, 2000

Osaka bid's next test in May

Osaka's hosting of the East Asian Games next May will be a key test in its uphill battle to win the right to stage the 2008 Summer Olympic Games, Japan Olympic Committee chairman Yushiro Yagi said Wednesday.
JAPAN
Aug 31, 2000

Defendants divided over hospital death

A former hospital director and a metropolitan government official on Wednesday denied charges of professional negligence resulting in a female patient's death in February 1999, but two other defendants, both nurses, pleaded guilty in the first hearing of their trial at the Tokyo District Court.
COMMUNITY
Aug 31, 2000

Nipponmaru autumn events to be held in Yokohama

Many events are scheduled at Nipponmaru Memorial Park and the Yokohama Maritime Museum near Sakuragicho Station this fall. All 29 sails of the sailing ship Nipponmaru will be hoisted on Sept. 3 and 23, Oct. 8 and 29; the ship will be decorated with signal flags Sept. 15 and Oct. 9.
BUSINESS
Aug 31, 2000

Shinsei Bank plans to waive 15 billion yen loans to Hazama

Shinsei Bank will waive 15.3 billion yen of its 43 billion yen in outstanding loans to ailing construction firm Hazama Corp. and then sell the remainder to the debt-ridden company's two main banks, sources close to the negotiations said Wednesday.
SPORTS / SPORTS SCOPE
Aug 31, 2000

Kudos to the Kinki kids

Since Hideo Nomo's spectacular rookie season in 1995, a number of Japanese pitchers have proven capable of competing at the major league level. Lately, it's the lesser lights from the Land of the Rising Sun who have been shining bright.
BUSINESS
Aug 31, 2000

Nissan releases first model under restructuring plan

Nissan Motor Co. President Carlos Ghosn leans against the automaker's new Bluebird Sylphy sedan at the car's press preview Wednesday in Tokyo. Nissan Motor Co. launched its new Bluebird Sylphy compact sedan Wednesday as the first of a series of models the struggling automaker plans to introduce during...
BUSINESS
Aug 31, 2000

Japan aims to pass U.S. in IT in five years

Japanese business leaders and Cabinet members agreed Wednesday to map out a national strategy by the end of the year to promote information technology, setting a goal of outrunning the United States as a "super-express IT power" in five years.
ENVIRONMENT
Aug 31, 2000

Working together for the future

It's always your choice to live for today -- Raising your voice for all life to remain
COMMENTARY
Aug 31, 2000

When silence is truly golden

LONDON -- Leading Japanese industrialists with big investments in Britain -- especially in the automobile industry -- have launched a chorus of complaints in recent weeks.
JAPAN
Aug 31, 2000

Extremist murdered in knife attack

A 48-year-old leftist extremist was stabbed to death by a group of knife-wielding men wearing masks Wednesday morning in front of JR Uguisudani Station in Tokyo's Taito Ward, apparently the victim of an internal dispute within an ultraleftist group, police said.
CULTURE / Art
Aug 31, 2000

Covering the fine arts: Frank Stella speaks

Frank Stella As part of the celebration of the art collection at the U.S. ambassador's residence, Ambassador Foley invited celebrated artist Frank Stella to take part in the reception and media tour. The day after the media tour, The Japan Times interviewed Stella at the residence. Following are excerpts...
COMMENTARY / World
Aug 31, 2000

Russia lies between Korea and the world

SEOUL -- The demilitarized zone that stretches between North and South Korea separates one of the world's most heavily fortified borders, bristling with artillery, tanks and troops.
CULTURE / Art
Aug 31, 2000

Art and history intersect in U.S. ambassador's residence

Most of us only dream of being able to pick out our favorite pieces of art from museums to display in our homes.
JAPAN
Aug 31, 2000

Yoshino dam project may yet proceed; foes irked

OSAKA -- Opponents to the controversial Yoshino River dam project in Tokushima are dissatisfied with a ruling coalition proposal made earlier this week that the 100 billion yen project be returned to the drawing board.
JAPAN / Media / MEDIA MIX
Aug 31, 2000

Frugality boom highlights fun and fulfillment of the simple life

As explained in this column several months ago, Japanese TV often adapts successful programming ideas from abroad. Still, I wouldn't hold my breath waiting for a local version of "Survivor." Reality-based programming is already available in Japan. Years ago, "Denpa Shonen" moved beyond such simplistic...
EDITORIALS
Aug 30, 2000

Keep Iraq on the agenda

A growing number of reports suggest that Iraq is again developing ballistic missiles. Predictably, the government in Baghdad has dismissed the charge. We cannot be sure what is going on: Efforts by the United Nations to inspect Iraqi programs to develop weapons of mass destruction are still blocked by...
JAPAN
Aug 30, 2000

Osaka divided over Games

OSAKA -- Osaka took a big step forward in realizing its dream of hosting the 2008 Summer Olympics on Monday when it was listed among five final candidate cities.
JAPAN
Aug 30, 2000

Medical importer delayed product warnings

A Tokyo-based importer of U.S.-made artificial pericardiums linked to inflammation in transplant patients waited six months before warning hospitals after it learned of health risks associated with the product, according to medical sources.
JAPAN
Aug 30, 2000

Snow Milk offices to be raided today

OSAKA -- Police will search both the head office of Snow Brand Milk Products Co. in Tokyo and its western Japan branch today on suspicion that professional negligence in connection with recent food-poisoning cases resulted in bodily injury, sources said Tuesday.
BUSINESS
Aug 30, 2000

Beware effect of rising demand on stocks

Now that selloffs by foreign investors that have buffeted the Tokyo stock market for months have finally eased, market participants are showing more gumption.
BUSINESS
Aug 30, 2000

Insurance industry group to manage Taisho Life

The Life Insurance Association of Japan on Tuesday accepted a request by the Financial Services Agency to become administrators for Taisho Life Insurance Co., which collapsed Monday, the association president said.
JAPAN
Aug 30, 2000

'Sick-house syndrome' to be probed in schools

The Education Ministry will inspect 50 school buildings across the nation in September to determine the level of air contamination from chemical substances used in interior construction materials, ministry sources said.
JAPAN
Aug 30, 2000

Agency to create database of tidelands

The Environment Agency will create a database of tidelands in Japan, making records on topography and fauna over a five-year period to protect those sites, agency officials said Tuesday.
BUSINESS
Aug 30, 2000

MITI budget for 2001 climbs 2.3%

The Ministry of International Trade and Industry presented its fiscal 2001 budget request Tuesday, up 2.3 percent from the previous year to 1.96 trillion yen.
JAPAN
Aug 30, 2000

Jumbo vessel unveiled to clean ocean oil spills

The government on Tuesday unveiled Japan's largest oil-recovery vessel, ordered by the Transport Ministry in the wake of a huge oil spill on the Sea of Japan coast three years ago.
JAPAN
Aug 30, 2000

Analyst attacks organ transplant proposal

A leading sociologist has slammed a proposal under consideration by a government-funded study group that the current law on organ transplants be revised to allow the procurement of organs from brain-dead patients with just the written consent of family members.
BUSINESS
Aug 30, 2000

NTT allows competitor in its doors

Faced with mounting criticism over stalling and exclusionary tactics, telecom giant NTT East Corp. for the first time has allowed a competitor to set up broad-band interconnection equipment within its compound in Tokyo's Shibuya Ward.

Longform

Mount Fuji is considered one of Japan's most iconic symbols and is a major draw for tourists. It's still a mountain, though, and potential hikers need to properly prepare for any climb.
What it takes to save lives on Mount Fuji